Method of and apparatus for reeling sheet material continuously



Nov. 6, 1962 J. HUNTER 3,062,465

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR REELING SHEET MATERIAL CONTINUOUSLY Filed April 14, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet -l INVENTOR. JOSEPH L. HUNTER Nov. 6, 1962 J. L. HUNTER 3,062,465

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR REELING SHEET MATERIAL CONTINUOUSLY Filed April 14, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOSEPH L. HUNTER 3,052,455 Patented Nov. 6, 1962 hire sit. a

3,062,465 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR REELING SHEET MATERIAL CONTINUOUSLY Joseph L. Hunter, Riverside, Calif., assignor to Aluminunl Research Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 14, 1960, Ser. No. 22,286 Claims. (Cl. 24256) This invention relates to winding and reeling and in particular to a method for winding and reeling sheet material.

A particular feature of the invention is the provision of a novel process for changing take-up cores upon which the sheet material is being wound continuously without stopping the advance of the material.

For example, the invention is useful, in reeling sheet metal issuing from a paint line, a rolling mill, or other process machinery wherein a full coil of sheet metal may be removed from driven spindles supporting the core of the coil and a new empty core inserted between the spindles without stopping the advance of the sheet metal being wound.

The invention also embraces a novel method for cutting sheet material on the fly and casting the leading edge of the cut material from one core to another core without interrupting the ordinary running speed of the machinery from which the sheet material is issuing.

A special advantage of the invention is that in the practice of the process no more than a single take-up stand or a single pair of take-up spindles is required.

In this specification and the succeeding claims, the language cutting over is intended to denote the process step of shifting the sheet material from one core to another core without stopping the advance of the material. The term take-up core or reel is intended to designate any tubular or cylindrical member upon which sheet material is being wound as it issues from process machinery. The language coil refers to the package of sheet material wound upon a core or reel.

Furthermore, while the present invention will be described in connection with the winding and reeling of sheet metal material issuing from a mill, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiment is merely illustrative of one arrangement of the invention; the process steps disclosed and described being readily adaptable to the winding and reeling of a Wide variety of sheet or web-like materials issuing from any process machinery.

A process embracing certain features of the present invention may comprise the steps of continuously winding sheet material issuing from a source upon a driven take-up core supported between a pair of axially movable spindles, providing an incline or ramp under the takeup core, moving the spindles axially to release the core allowing the coil to drop upon the ramp, permitting the coil to roll down the ramp and away from the source without interrupting winding, inserting a secondtake-up core between the spindles, rotating the second core, cutting the sheet material on the fly and thereafter guiding the leading edge of the cut sheet to the second core effective to begin winding and reeling the sheet on said second core.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the succeeding specification when read in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of apparatus useful in practicing the process steps of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the ramp inclined to receive a full reel of sheet material;

FIG. 3 shows a full take-up core proceeding down the ramp While winding sheet material With an empty take-up core poised to receive sheet material;

FIG. 4 shows the process at the stage wherein the sheet material has been cut and the leading edge of the cut sheet has been tucked between the empty core and the belt wrapper supporting it, and

FIG. 5 shows a plan view partially in section of a pair of opposed movable cones utilized to support and drive the take-up cores.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a mill, indicated generally by the reference numeral M, from which a web W of sheet metal, such as aluminum, is issuing in the direction shown by the arrow. The web W proceeds past a pair of cutter knives K over an idler pulley P and is reeled upon a take-up core to form a coil indicated generally by the reference numeral 10.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 5, the coil is supported by a pair of axially movable cones or spindles l1 and 12 engaging a core 20 upon which the sheet metal material is being wound in well known fashion. The cones 11 and 12 are mounted in rigid support members 41 and 42 respectively and are movable relative to said support members. The spindles 11 and 12 are connected directly to a pair of pistons 36 and 37 which can be actuated to move the spindles away from the core 20.

The core or reel 20 is driven by electric motor means 38 through one or both cones, keying the core and the cones appropriately. Motor 38 is mounted on support 49 which is slidable relative to base 43. Piston 37 moves support 40, motor 38, and spindle 12 when it is actuated by conventional means not shown. Belt 39 connects motor 38 to spindle 12 through appropriate pulleys. The speed of advance of the sheet material and the rotational speed of the core are synchronized by suitable controls to insure that a taut package is obtained.

Disposed below the take-up core is a stand for empty cores indicated generally by the reference numeral 13 upon which are disposed empty take-up cores 14, 1'5 and 16 held on the ramp 17 by an indexing means including a movable dog 18.

The reels or cores l416 are received individually and are carried by a transfer device indicated generally by the reference numeral 19. The transfer device comprises a yoke 21 carrying a belt wrapper 22. The yoke is articulated to a piston 23 so that a core received in the belt wrapper as shown in FIG. 2 can be elevated and transferred to the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The yoke 21 and belt or belt wrapper 22 are well known in the winding and reeling art and are utilized to aid in starting a leading end of sheet material about an empty take-up core. A conventional belt wrapper such as may be used in this invention is shown in detail in US. Patent 2,262,160.

A movable ramp 2.4 is pivoted to a fixed pivot at 26 and is operable in response to ram or piston 27 to move from the position shown in FIG. 1, hereinafter designated as the normal position, to the position shown in FIG. 2, hereinafter referred to as the core receiving position.

A web tucking device is disposed above the coil 10 and includes an articulated deflector 5 operative to move from the normal position shown in FIG. 1 to a tucking position as shown in FIG. 4 in response to the actuation of a piston 28 to which the deflector 5 is articulated.

An idler roll or pulley 29 is provided in the deflector 5 which is operable to contact and cooperate with a driven take-up reel, as shown in FIG. 4, to aid in driving and tucking the leading edge of sheet metal between the belt and the reel in a manner which will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

The process of transferring the continuously advancing web W from a full take-up core as represented by the reference numeral 10' to an empty take-up core, as indicated by the reference numeral 16, is accomplished as follows:

Assuming that the advancing web W is winding continuously upon the coil as shown in HG. 1 wherein suitable driving means are utilized to rotate the coil within the spindles 11 and 12 in synchronism with the advance of the sheet. Piston 31 is actuated to release dog 18 to index empty core 16 to the right allowing it to drop into the sling formed by the belt wrapper 22 as shown in PEG. 2.

As soon as the coil 10, receiving sheet metal, reaches the desired size ramp 24, actuated by the ram 27, is raised upwardly at the left end about the pivot 26 until idler roll 32 contacts the rotating coil as shown in FIG. 2.

Next, the cones 11 and 12 are withdrawn axially from the core 29 (the cones are moved in the direction shown by the arrows of FIG. whereupon the coil is free to proceed down the ramp 24 as shown in FIG. 3. The weight and the momentum of the rolling full coil are sufficient to maintain the necessary tension in the advancing sheet metal W as it proceeds down the ramp.

As soon as the coil is clear of the cones 11 and 12, the core transfer device 19 is actuated to transfer empty core 16 to the position shown in H6. 3. The cones 11 and 12 are moved inwardly towards one another to engage the core and it is brought up to speed appropriate for the speed of advance of the web of sheet material W.

When the core 16 is up to speed, knives K are actuated against anvil 33 to cut the sheet W generally transverse to its direction of advance. The leading edge L clears the knives K and proceeds toward the deflector 5 along a path represented by the dotted line in FIG. 3. Obviously, trailing edge T follows the full reel 10 which is allowed to roll freely until it impacts with bumper means 35. Virtually simultaneously with the cutting action the ram 28 is actuated operative to drive the deflector 5 downwardly to the position shown in FIG. 4 wherein the leading edge of the sheet L is sandwiched between the arcuate lip of the deflector 5 and the surface of the core 16. The pulley 29 bears upon the sheet L and remains in rolling contact therewith. The sheet is pinched between the roll 29 and the driven empty core 16 so that it is positively advanced between the belt and the reel. After the sheet contacts the belt it is pinched between the core 16 and the belt 22 insuring that several full turns are started about the core.

When the desired number of turns are established the core transfer device and the deflector 5 are returned to their normal positions as shown in FIG. 1. Thereafter the above steps are repeated whenever the sheet metal accumulated on the core 16 reaches the desired diameter.

It is anticipated that a wide variety of embodiments of the present invention may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of transferring a continuously advancing web of material issuing from a source from a first take-up reel to a second take-up reel using a single pair of take-up spindles comprising the steps of winding the web on said first reel while releasably held in said spindles, releasing the first reel from the spindles so that the reel rolls away from said source while continuing to wind the web, inserting the second reel between the spindles, cradling said second reel within a belt, cutting the advancing web generally transverse to its direction of advance and tucking 4 the leading edge of the cut web between the exterior of the second reel and the belt to insure starting turns of material on the second reel.

2. In the art of winding a continuously advancing sheet or web utilizing a single pair of take-up spindles, a process for cutting over from a first take-up reel to a second takeup reel without stopping the advance of the web comprising the steps of continuously winding the web upon said first take-up reel, releasing the reel from the spindles so that it rolls while winding up said web, inserting a second take-up reel between the spindles, said second reel being partially encircled by a belt, cutting the web generally perpendicular to its direction of advance, guiding the leading edge of the cut web to the empty reel and tucking the edge between the surface of the second reel and the belt.

3. A method of transferring a web of material advancing continuously from a first take-up core to a second take-up core comprising the steps of winding the web on said first core to create a C011 by rotating the first core in spindles at a speed in synchronism with the advance of the web, releasing the first core from its spindles so that the coil rolls while continuing to wind the web, inserting the second core between the spindles, synchronizing the rotational speed of the second core and the advance of the web, cutting the advancing web generally transverse to its direction of advance and tucking the leading edge of the cut web about the exterior of the second core.

4. A method of transferring a continuously advancing web of material from a first take-up core to a second take-up core comprising the steps of winding the web on said first core to create a coil by rotating said core in spindles in synchronism with the advance of the web, releasing the first core from its spindles so that the coil rolls while continuing to wind the web, slinging the second core in a belt, conveying the second core to the spindles by means of said belt, cutting the advancing web generally transverse to its direction of advance, deflecting the leading edge of the cut web toward said second core, and tucking the leading edge of the cut web between the exterior of the second core and the belt.

5. An apparatus for transferring a continuously advancing web of sheet material from a full reel to an empty reel utilizing a single pair of spindles comprising a stand for storage of empty reels, a pair of spindles operative to support and drive a reel, sling means including a belt operative to encircle a portion of the exterior diameter of an empty reel for conveying an empty reel from the stand to the spindles, said sling means being further operative to retain a leading edge of sheet material passed between the belt and the outside diameter of the reel, means for cutting the advancing sheet material and deflector means for tucking a leading edge of sheet material between the reel and the sling.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 952,282 Skofsrud Mar. 15, 1910 2,379,495 Rosen July 3, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 757,475 Great Britain Sept. 19, 1956 715,469 Switzerland Sept. 15, 1954 261,384 Switzerland Aug. 16, 1949 

